Toilet disinfection system

ABSTRACT

The present invention provides a toilet seat with a disinfection unit comprising a toilet cover connected to the toilet seat, a disinfection unit is equipped to the toilet seat or the toilet cover for disinfecting the toilet seat. A trigger is equipped on the seat or the cover to trigger the disinfection unit when the cover is closed on the seat. The disinfection unit includes UV-light source.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a toilet, and more particular, to atoilet with a disinfection system.

BACKGROUND

Toilet is necessary to everyone for daily life. Some prior arts disclosea toilet seat-lifting device having a lever assembly mounted on aplatform that rests on the floor such that depressing a foot pedaldownward causes upward movement of a link connected to a lift armattached to the toilet seat. U.S. Pat. No. 4,150,446 to Crockerdiscloses a similar device including a cable that pulls on a leverattached to the toilet seat. U.S. Pat. No. 6,308,347 to King discloses atoilet seat lifting system having a bracket secured to a toilet seat ofa toilet. U.S. Pat. No. 5,056,165 to Wescott, Sr., discloses a commodeflush and seat lift device in which foot pedals are linked to the flushlever and to the toilet seat lid via four conduits. U.S. Pat. No.6,807,687, entitled “Toilet seat and cover system”, discloses a coversystem for a toilet. U.S. Pat. No. 6,769,194, entitled “Toilet seathaving a cleansing facility”, discloses a toilet seat having a cleansingfacility with a pivotal arm supplied with warm water for cleaning andwarm air for drying the anal and genital areas of a user.

None of the prior toilet seat or toilet cover discloses the facility toeliminate the bacteria or germ on the toilet seat.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a toilet comprising a toilet bowl and aseat pivotally equipped to the bowl. A cover is pivotally equipped onthe toilet for the seat. A disinfection unit is equipped fordisinfecting the seat and a trigger is equipped on the surface of theseat or the cover to turn on the disinfection unit when the cover isclosed on the seat.

The other purpose of the present invention is to provide a toilet seatcomprising: a toilet cover connected to the toilet seat. A disinfectionunit is equipped to the toilet seat or the toilet cover for disinfectingthe toilet seat, a trigger is equipped on the seat or the cover totrigger the disinfection unit when the cover is closed on the seat. Thedisinfection unit includes UV-light source. The toilet seat may be madeof polymer (such as plastic, fiberglass, acrylic or resin), ceramic(glass or quartz) or the combination thereof.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further objects and advantages of the present invention can be found inthe detailed description of the preferred embodiments when taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 diagrammatically illustrates a functional diagram according tothe present invention.

FIGS. 2A-2D illustrate the toilet with a disinfection system.

FIGS. 3A-3D illustrate the toilet with a disinfection system.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The present invention relates to a toilet seat and cover with adisinfection system, FIG, 1, 2 and 3 diagrammatically illustrate thetoilet seat disinfection system including a seat 14 disposed on a toiletbowl 12. The toilet seat and cover disinfection system is used foreliminates the bacteria or germ on or around the seat 14 or the cover 16of the toilet. The disinfection system is designed to be retrofit usinga preexisting toilet seat and toilet cover, or as a device to replacethe preexisting toilet seat and cover. The toilet seat and toilet covermay be manufactured as part of the mechanical components that make upthe toilet seat and cover disinfection system. The disinfection systemis designed to be mounted atop the toilet bowl 12. The toilet seatcover, the toilet seat and the mechanical components discussed below maybe constructed of polymer (such as plastic, fiberglass, acrylic orresin), ceramic (glass or quartz) or the combination thereof. Similaritems are referenced by the same reference numerals throughout thedrawings. Please refer to FIG. 1, the disinfection unit 18 is providedto the toilet cover 16 or the seat 14 on the toilet bowl 12. A powersource or power supply 19 is coupled to the disinfection unit 18. Atrigger 24 is coupled between the power source 19 and the toilet cover16 or the seat 14. A control circuit 26 maybe coupled to the trigger 24and the power supply 19.

In FIG. 2A-2D and 3A-3D, toilet seat 14 and toilet cover 16 aresubstantially planar members as is known in the art. The seat 14 isdisposed on the toilet opening via a plurality of spacers 14 a that aretypically rubber or plastic. However, other suitable materials may beused. The distal end of the seat 14 is attached via bracket to a hingemember 21. The distal end is furthest away from the front side edge ofthe toilet. Similarly, seat cover 16 is disposed on the toilet seat 12via a plurality of spacers 16 a. The spacers are optional parts but arecustomarily used to absorb some of the energy resulting from either theseat or cover. The distal end of toilet cover 16 is attached via thesame or a second bracket to hinge member. The seat and bracket aremanufactured as a single piece. Likewise, cover and respective bracketmay be manufactured as a single piece. The bracket and hinge for toiletcover and seat are well known in the art. This embodiment is merelyexemplary as other means of securing seat and cover may be employed asknown to those skilled in the art.

One aspect of the present is that the present invention includes atleast one disinfection or decontamination unit 18 equipped in the seatunit 14 (see FIG. 3A-3D) or cover 16 (see FIG. 2A-2D) to eliminatebacteria. In one preferred embodiment, the disinfection or bacteriaeliminating unit 18 includes UV light source or the like that couldilluminate UV (ultraviolet) light substantially through or partiallythrough the seat 14, thereby killing or eliminating the bacteria or germon or around the seat 14. For instance, the UV light source could beequipped into a socket 20 set at the lower surface of the seat 14 orcover 16. In one embodiment, the wave length of the UV light source isabout 150-360 nm, preferably, 260-280 nm. The energy of the UV lightsource is substantially higher than 0.1 Joule/m². Preferably, higherthan 20 Joule/m².

The toilet seat 14 may be constructed of polymer (such as plastic,fiberglass, acrylic or resin), ceramic (glass or quartz) or thecombination thereof. A power source or power supply 19 is provided tothe disinfection unit 18. In another embodiment, please refer to FIG.2A-2D, the disinfection unit 18 could be equipped into a socket 20 setat the lower surface of the cover 16. The disinfection unit 18 could beconstructed by a plurality of UV light bulbs 18 attached on the lowersurface of the cover 16, as shown in FIG. 2B. Conductive lines (in thedash line area) are used to electrically connect the UV light bulbs 18(FIG. 2B). In another example, the disinfection unit 18 could be a UVlight tube with a shape similar to the seat shape (FIG. 2C) andsubstantially aligned to the toilet seat 14. Similar arrangement ofabove could be arranged on the seat 14. It should be understand that anytype of the UV tube and arrangement could be used.

In the embodiment, the disinfection unit 18 could illuminate UV light onthe upper surface of seat 14 while the cover is closed on the seat 14,the cover 16 will trigger a switch to power on the UV light, therebyeliminating the bacteria or germ on or around the seat 14. Thus, atrigger 24 is coupled to the cover 16 or seat 14 to turn on thedisinfection unit 18 while the cover 16 is closed on the seat 14, Owingto the UV light will injure the human eyes, therefore, the UV lightshould be power on after the cover 16 is closed to prevent the UV lightfrom hurting the eyes. The trigger 24 could be a sensor (such as IRsensor or pressure sensor) or a switch set either on the cover 16 orseat 14. A control circuit 26 is coupled to the trigger 24 to allow theUV light to turn on or off. In another case, the trigger is formed inthe spacer 16 a.

In another embodiment, the disinfection unit 18 could be equipped in theseat 14 (FIG. 3B) for the toilet. In further case, the disinfection unit18 could be attached any suitable location for the cover or seat. Anoptical fiber 30 (please refer to FIG. 3C) could guide the illuminationgenerated by the UV source 18 to the desired area of the seat 14 orcover 16. The optical fiber 306 includes a rough surface to allow thelight penetrating through the surface of the fiber 30. Please refer toFIG. 3D, a heating element 28 is also provided in the seat 14 to providethermal.

The toilet disinfection system 10 functions as follows, a person couldtrigger the trigger by closing the cover 16 of the toilet for instance.The disinfection unit 18 will generate the UV light to expose the seatof the toilet 12 after the trigger responses the action. Any person willnot be exposed in the UV light environment when it functions due to theseat 12 is covered by the cover 16, Any bacteria or germ on or aroundthe seat will be eliminated by the disinfection unit.

As known in the art, the toilet in these illustrations includes bowl 12,tank (not shown), toilet seat 14, toilet seat cover 16, In thisembodiment, the toilet seat 14 and toilet cover 16 are similar to thewell-know art, they could downward or upward pivotal movement of seat orcover to its lower or upper position. The seat or cover is rotatablycoupled to the toilet at joint as well known in the art also. The aboveembodiments could be practiced alone or combination.

While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been illustrated anddescribed, it will be appreciated that various changes can be madetherein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

1. A toilet comprising: a toilet bowl; a seat pivotally equipped to saidbowl; a cover pivotally equipped on said toilet for said seat; and adisinfection unit equipped for disinfecting said seat.
 2. A toilet asclaimed in claim 1, further comprising a trigger equipped on the surfaceof said seat or said cover to turn on said disinfection unit when saidcover is closed on said seat.
 3. A toilet seat as claimed in claim 2,wherein said trigger includes a switch or a sensor.
 4. A toilet seat asclaimed in claim 3, wherein said sensor includes a pressure sensor or IRsensor.
 5. A toilet seat as claimed in claim 1, wherein saiddisinfection unit includes UV-light source.
 6. A toilet seat as claimedin claim 5, wherein the wave length of said UV-light source is about150-360 nm, preferably, 260-280 nm.
 7. A toilet seat as claimed in claim5, wherein the energy of said UV light source is substantially higherthan 0.1 Joule/m², preferably, higher than 20 Joule/m².
 8. A toilet seatas claimed in claim 1, wherein said seat is made of a material thatincludes polymer.
 9. A toilet seat as claimed in claim 8, wherein saidpolymer includes plastic, fiberglass, acrylic or resin.
 10. A toiletseat as claimed in claim 8, wherein said seat is made of a material thatincludes glass or quartz.
 11. A toilet seat comprising: a toilet coverpivotally connected to said toilet seat; and a disinfection unitequipped to said toilet seat or said toilet cover for disinfecting saidtoilet seat.
 12. A toilet as claimed in claim 11, further comprising atrigger equipped on the surface of said seat or said cover to turn onsaid disinfection unit when said cover is closed on said seat.
 13. Atoilet seat as claimed in claim 12, wherein said trigger includes aswitch or a sensor.
 14. A toilet seat as claimed in claim 13, whereinsaid sensor includes a pressure sensor or IR sensor.
 15. A toilet seatas claimed in claim 1, wherein said disinfection unit includes UV-lightsource.
 16. A toilet seat as claimed in claim 15, wherein the wavelength of said UV-light source is about 150-360 nm, preferably, 260-280nm.
 17. A toilet seat as claimed in claim 15, wherein the energy of saidUV light source is substantially higher than 0.1 Joule/m², preferably,higher than 20 Joule/m².
 18. A toilet seat as claimed in claim 11,wherein said toilet seat is made of a material that includes polymer.19. A toilet seat as claimed in claim 18, wherein said polymer includesplastic, fiberglass, acrylic or resin.
 20. A toilet seat as claimed inclaim 18, wherein said seat is made of a material that includes glass orquartz.